Matthew 7:7-9

Matthew 7:7-9

Thoughts from Alex Morse

Dive Deeper

Godfidence- Swipe
Slide

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

Matthew 7:7-9

Godfidence- Behind the Scenes
Slide

Jesus saves us and Jesus teaches us. His life, death, and resurrection made it possible for us to live in restored relationship with God and with each other. We don’t stop there, however. As disciples of Jesus, we have much to learn from the Scriptures about how to live and serve in God’s Kingdom.

Slide

Today’s verses come from the famous Sermon on the Mount preached by Jesus to his disciples. Although Jesus spoke these words two thousand years ago, they contain deep wisdom applicable to our lives today. We are in the middle of learning God-fidence or confidence in God in our daily walk with Him, and as part of our daily walk we often must learn how to humble ourselves before God. Part of that humility involves admitting our weaknesses and asking God for help.

Slide

I have found both in my own life and by watching other people’s lives that we really don’t mind helping others, but we hate having to ask for help for ourselves. To really follow Christ, we need to learn to ask for help. The first one we must ask for help is God our Father.

Slide

In these verses, Jesus teaches us to pray and ask God for this help. He urges us to ‘keep knocking’ on God’s door and God, being our loving Father, will give us what we seek. An important caveat is needed here. God possesses unfathomable wisdom and knows what we need to grow and prosper. Like any good Father, God loves and wants the best for us. Just like a wise Father, God sometimes says no or puts us in challenging situations to grow and develop us. These verses promise us a God we can trust. They don’t promise that God will give us all we ask for or keep us from experiencing trials and trouble.

Slide

A few verses after these lines, Jesus explains that if we trust God and build our lives on His Word, we are like a builder who constructs a house on a solid foundation. Storms will come but our house will stand firm. All other foundations that we put under our lives will give way. Who will you put your confidence in today?

Godfidence- Make it Real
Slide

How do we practically put this God-fidence into our lives? How can we make a habit of asking God for help AND trusting both His answers and His timing?

Slide

I was very fortunate to have a loving and wise earthly father. I trust him and know that he loves me and wants what is best for me. Others have not been so fortunate. A lot of times in this fallen world, fathers abuse or neglect their children. These experiences make it hard for people to place their trust in God the Father. God is ultimately beyond our ability to totally understand Him. Yet, He reveals to us things about His nature and character that teach us a little bit about Him. Out of all the ways He could reveal Himself, God chose the word Father.

Slide

As you read and study Scripture, you will see that God the Father loves us more than any human possibly could. He sent His Son to die a horrible death for us. He provides for us and guides us in this life. He even sent His very Spirit to live inside of us after we say yes to Jesus so that we can face the world. If you had a horrible earthly father, know that Father God is pure love and goodness and holiness. He loves you more than you can imagine, and He gives us His great grace and providence. He is a Father in which you can trust and love.

Slide

Another hurdle in asking God for help is disappointment with a past or current situation in which He did not answer your prayer the way you had hoped. There are many stories in which God heals people from diseases, protects them from harm, and delivers them out of trials. However, there are many situations in which sick people die, tragedies happen, and suffering seems endless. How can we have confidence asking God for help after experiencing that?

Slide

For me, I find great hope in reading the last few chapters of the book of Revelation. This book shows us what our real future looks like if we place our faith in Christ. One day, God will wipe away every tear. There will be no more sickness, no more death, no more suffering. Both ourselves and the world in which we live will be restored and healed. We will also live in the awesome presence of God forever.

Slide

God has reasons for allowing the suffering and trials you experience in your life. Don’t lose confidence in God if He tells you no or delays in answering your prayers. We can place our faith in God’s love, wisdom, and power to do what will ultimately be best for us. Keep asking, keep telling God about your struggles, doubts, and fears. Keep knocking. With God you have a foundation that no trouble in this world can crack. You can have confidence in that.

Godfidence- End in Prayer
Slide

Father, help me trust in your love and wisdom. Have your Spirit reveal to me where my faith is weak. Help me persevere through the challenges of my life. Help me be like Jesus. He trusted in your love and persevered in serving your Kingdom even though that road took Him to the cross. Help me remember that the road to the cross did not end in the grave but ended in His glory. In Jesus name I pray these things, Amen.

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“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” 

Matthew 7:7-9

Behind the Scenes

Jesus saves us and Jesus teaches us.    His life, death, and resurrection made it possible for us to live in restored relationship with God and with each other.   We don’t stop there, however.   As disciples of Jesus, we have much to learn from the Scriptures about how to live and serve in God’s Kingdom.    

Today’s verses come from the famous Sermon on the Mount preached by Jesus to his disciples.   Although Jesus spoke these words two thousand years ago, they contain deep wisdom applicable to our lives today.   We are in the middle of learning God-fidence or confidence in God in our daily walk with Him, and as part of our daily walk we often must learn how to humble ourselves before God.   Part of that humility involves admitting our weaknesses and asking God for help.   

I have found both in my own life and by watching other people’s lives that we really don’t mind helping others, but we hate having to ask for help for ourselves.   To really follow Christ, we need to learn to ask for help.   The first one we must ask for help is God our Father.   

In these verses, Jesus teaches us to pray and ask God for this help.   He urges us to ‘keep knocking’ on God’s door and God, being our loving Father, will give us what we seek.   An important caveat is needed here.   God possesses unfathomable wisdom and knows what we need to grow and prosper.   Like any good Father, God loves and wants the best for us.  Just like a wise Father, God sometimes says no or puts us in challenging situations to grow and develop us.   These verses promise us a God we can trust.  They don’t promise that God will give us all we ask for or keep us from experiencing trials and trouble.    

A few verses after these lines, Jesus explains that if we trust God and build our lives on His Word, we are like a builder who constructs a house on a solid foundation.   Storms will come but our house will stand firm.   All other foundations that we put under our lives will give way.    Who will you put your confidence in today? 

Make it Real

How do we practically put this God-fidence into our lives?   How can we make a habit of asking God for help AND trusting both His answers and His timing?   

I was very fortunate to have a loving and wise earthly father.   I trust him and know that he loves me and wants what is best for me.   Others have not been so fortunate.   A lot of times in this fallen world, fathers abuse or neglect their children.   These experiences make it hard for people to place their trust in God the Father.  God is ultimately beyond our ability to totally understand Him.   Yet, He reveals to us things about His nature and character that teach us a little bit about Him.   Out of all the ways He could reveal Himself, God chose the word Father.    

As you read and study Scripture, you will see that God the Father loves us more than any human possibly could.   He sent His Son to die a horrible death for us.    He provides for us and guides us in this life.   He even sent His very Spirit to live inside of us after we say yes to Jesus so that we can face the world.  If you had a horrible earthly father, know that Father God is pure love and goodness and holiness.   He loves you more than you can imagine, and He gives us His great grace and providence.   He is a Father in which you can trust and love.    

Another hurdle in asking God for help is disappointment with a past or current situation in which He did not answer your prayer the way you had hoped.   There are many stories in which God heals people from diseases, protects them from harm, and delivers them out of trials.   However, there are many situations in which sick people die, tragedies happen, and suffering seems endless.  How can we have confidence asking God for help after experiencing that? 

For me, I find great hope in reading the last few chapters of the book of Revelation.  This book shows us what our real future looks like if we place our faith in Christ.  One day, God will wipe away every tear.   There will be no more sickness, no more death, no more suffering.   Both ourselves and the world in which we live will be restored and healed.   We will also live in the awesome presence of God forever.    

God has reasons for allowing the suffering and trials you experience in your life.   Don’t lose confidence in God if He tells you no or delays in answering your prayers.   We can place our faith in God’s love, wisdom, and power to do what will ultimately be best for us.  Keep asking, keep telling God about your struggles, doubts, and fears.   Keep knocking.   With God you have a foundation that no trouble in this world can crack.   You can have confidence in that.  

Johnny Spence

Johnny Spence

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Father, help me trust in your love and wisdom.   Have your Spirit reveal to me where my faith is weak.   Help me persevere through the challenges of my life.  Help me be like Jesus.  He trusted in your love and persevered in serving your Kingdom even though that road took Him to the cross.   Help me remember that the road to the cross did not end in the grave but ended in His glory.  In Jesus name I pray these things, Amen.   

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